ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Good Shepherd Rehabilitation dedicated a new, five-story mural on the face of its South Allentown campus parking garage on Friday, a piece meant to honor the neighborhood that has shaped the organization for more than a century.
The mural, created by local artist Matt Halm, stretches across the garage at 850 S. 5th St. and is designed as a colorful tribute to “community, accessibility and healing.”
“This mural is our love letter to the community,” Good Shepherd President and CEO Michael Spigel said during the dedication ceremony. “It celebrates people of all abilities living and thriving together. It reminds us that healing isn’t just clinical: it’s emotional, creative and collective.”
The event brought together local elected officials, caregivers, patients, staff and neighborhood residents.
Halm, known across the Lehigh Valley for large-scale public art projects, called the mural “a testament to accessibility.”
Community involvement played a central role in the project. A committee of Good Shepherd volunteers provided input during the design process, and three paint parties were held at Good Shepherd’s Allentown, Bethlehem and Center Valley campuses. Patients, long-term care residents and staff all picked up brushes to help bring the mural to life, working alongside Halm.
“Good Shepherd has been part of Allentown since 1908 when the Raker family founded the organization,” Spigel said. “This neighborhood has been our home since the very beginning.”